Wire-stretcher.



No. 809,949. PATBNTED JAN. 16, 1906. J. HERRMANN & G. SCHWANER.

WIRE STRETOHER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1905.

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WlRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed May 1, 1905. Serial No: 258.240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN HERRMANN and CONRAD SCHWANER, citizens of the United States, residing at Charlottesville, in the county of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improve ment in lVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to wire-stretchers, the object of the invention being to provide a wire-stretcher capable of being han dled by one man, simple in construction, having few movable parts, and avoiding the use of springs and ratchets.

The invention consists of the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figm'e 1 is a perspective view showingthe manner of using the wire-stretcher. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stretcher, one of the bifurcated members being broken away.

In the drawings, A represents a suitable shank or handle, having a claw A at one end, by means of which staples may be removed from posts, and the remaining portion of the shank A is bifurcated, as shown at A, the end portion opposite the claw being formed with a compound curve, as shown at A and adapted to bear upon a side of the post to which the wire is to be secured. An angled lever C is pivoted between the bifurcated members of the shank A, and adjacent to the pivotal point the lever is formed with a curved rib C. A pin C is carried by the end portion of the lever upon the side of the rib C opposite the pivotal point of the lever. A sharpened projection C is formed on one side of.

the lever adjacent to one end of the rib C and forms one member of a wire-cutting device. ()ne of the bifurcated members carries a lateral projection D, ext-ending outwardly opposite the pivotal point of the lever C, and the end of the lever carrying the pin C works upon this projection. To the projection is pivoted a plate E, which plate is provided with a slot E, through which projects the pin C and the edge of the plate adjacent to, the rib C is curved and flanged, as shown at E This plate, as will be readily under' stood, overlaps the end portion of the lever on the outer side of the rib C.

In use the handle A is grasped in the hand and the curved portion A is brought to bear against the post, and the wire to be stretched passes between the bifurcated members and over the projection D and between the flange E of plate E and the rib C, the wire resting upon the upper face of the lever C. To grip the wire, the lever is moved from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in full lines in said figure, this movement being accompanied by a similar movement on the part of the plate E, the plate E being moved by the pin C working in the slot E. In this closed or locking position the wire will be very firmly gripped, and the operator can then manipulate the handle A so as to stretch the gripped wire and by leaning against the said handle can place and drive a staple into the fence-post. Between the bifurcated members a block B is arranged, which not only forms a stop of the lever C, but is also sharpened to coact with the wirecutting member C \Vhile we have shown and described the device as a wire-stretcher, it will be understood that it can be employed for gripping and holding cables, ropes, or wire strands wherever it may be desired to grip and lock said cable, rope, or \VIIQ.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device of the kind described comprising a shank having a bifurcated portion, alateral projection, carried by one member of the bifurcated portion, a lever pivoted in the bifurcation and overlapping the projection, a rib formed on the lever, a slotted plate pivoted upon the projection and overlapping the lever, one edge of said plate having a flange adapted to coact with the rib, and a pin carried by the lever and projecting into the slot of the plate.

A device of the kind described comprising a shank having a bifurcated portion, said portion being curved adjacent to its end, a stop-block carried in the bifurcation, an angled lever pivoted in the bifurcation and adapted to engage the stop-block, a lateral 2 .eoaeee projection carried by one of the bifurcated adapted to project into and Work in the slot members, the angled end of the lever work of the plate.

ing upon said projection, a rib carried by the JOHN HERRMANN.

lever, a plate pivoted upon the projection CONRAD SCHWANER. 5' and longitudinally slotted, said plate having Witnesses:

a curved flanged edge adapted to engage the FRED. M. MURPHY,

rib of the lever and a pin carried by the lever MAY PROFFITT. 

